@L.E., you really have to can it with the bigotry. What makes you think that all Republicans want Billie Jean or anyone else to be a second class citizen?

As far as I'm concerned the only difference between you and the redneck crackers I demonstrated against back in the late 1960's is that you mindlessly spew hatred and contempt towards Republicans and they mindlessly spewed hatred and contempt towards you. You're not in great company, friend.

You're right about the "grand slam" events. Tennis fans call them all just that - grand slam titles, so this causes a bit of confusion. There is also such a thing as a "calendar grand slam" - meaning winning all four of those titles in a single season, or a "career grand slam", which is winning all four in a tennis career.

"I recognize that I am something of a vox clamans in terris in this area, but enough is enough. The Office of Presidential Correspondence is not yet an adjunct of Michael Jackson’s PR firm. 'Billboard' can quite adequately cover the event by reproducing the award citation and/or reporting the President’s remarks. (As you know, there is very little to report about Mr. Jackson’s remarks.) There is absolutely no need for an additional presidential message. A memorandum for Presidential Correspondence objecting to the letter is attached for your review and signature."

Does anybody say NO at this White House? I mean they are on some kind of a pace.

bearbee said... Not to be curmudgeonly but shouldn't there be a Medal of Excellence with the Medal of Freedom reserved for those who put their necks on the line in the pursuit or defense of freedom?

Being curmudgeonly in return, the hallmark of a militaristic or fascist society is of worshipping the hero troops, the hero cops and secret police who "save us all" from "freedom-haters, haters of the Volk.., the Revolution".

Besides, we already have a plethora of awards, special deals, full retirement after 20 years and so on reserved only for "The Heroes".

The Medal of Freedom goes to luminaries and several not-so-luminaries for their contributions outside what the "armed saviors" who are 4% of the US population do.

It's a civilian award.

One could argue that the loss of 5,000 factories and 3.7 million manufacturing jobs that hit hundreds of towns with the economic equivalent of small A-bombs are a bigger long term threat to Loss of Freedom for "Freedom-Lovers" than two big office buildings getting hit.

And 4 out of 5 of those jobs were middle class, upper middle class provate sector jobs. Add in the 20 million illegals here doing any low skilled job at nearly any price and the lower skilled native Americans also have had a major assault on their Freedom.(35 of of 100 Americans aged 20-24 are not employed. 19 of 100 aged 20-35 do not have jobs).

Perhaps future Freedom Medals will go to the people that can restore our economic freedom and free opportunity and a chance for both ghetto kids and kids really wanting to build consumer goods here in the USA and college-educated software designers will all have a future.

I've seen Billie Jean in several interviews discuss the Larger Issues of Life. She seems courteous, intelligent, and down to earth. What I particularly like about her is that she hasn't gone the botox/plastic surgery route. Her face looks comfortable and good natured......Maybe middle aged lesbians should be the fashion trend setters in showing women how to age gracefully. Early in her career she was upstaged by the better looking players but she now has the last laugh on a lot of them.

Sorry man. I'm not your standin for when you need a liberal straw man. I'm not a professional Obama defender in any case.

I'd hope that if a GOP prez flubbed the stats, that she'd make a gracious little dig in response, as she did today. But I can't swear it would go that way since it would require a GOP prez to share the stage with a big old dyke. I guess that's possible.

The 12 is her record in singles. The others were doubles and mixed doubles. Most casual observers would assume that he was talking about singles. I also suspect that they just counted the number off the info box on her Wikipedia page.

Cedarford, you don't think civilians have put themselves at risk defending freedom? The military and many police forces have their own awards. It would not bother me if most of the awards went to foreigners, or even CIA agents.

Ralph L. - Cedarford, you don't think civilians have put themselves at risk defending freedom? The military and many police forces have their own awards. It would not bother me if most of the awards went to foreigners, or even CIA agents.

The award has little to nothing to do with people in foreign countries who risked & sought Freedom!!! for their native folk or US civilians for that matter who risked their necks for Freedom Lovers!!

It is about people who somehow advanced America by individual accomplishment.Charleton Heston deservedly got one, but the awards seem to skew to celebrities and media-obsessed loudmouths like Jesse Jackson, Mary Robinson in recent years - who don't do anything, they demand others do it... Less of distinguished academics, diplomats, scientists, business leaders, writers - recently.

Being curmudgeonly in return, the hallmark of a militaristic or fascist society is of worshipping the hero troops, the hero cops and secret police who "save us all" from "freedom-haters, haters of the Volk.., the Revolution"..

I was thinking in terms of dissenters or those undertaking courageous or extraordinary actions while living under repressive rule such as Gandhi, Mandela, Vaclav Havel, Aung San Suu Kyi, Hu Jia, Gao Zhisheng, and not exclusively of military performance.

I'm pretty sure it's rude to bring up the Cheney family's private life to score political points.

It is, but I'm not sure that the point I was making was political. Okay if I say it in bold? Not all Republicans bear any animus towards gays. In fact, I think hardly any have any animus towards gays. And I am absolutely certain that George W. Bush is not a man who hates gays.